Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 13

Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 13
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.

Lesson 13:
1. 何(なに)が ほしいですか。What do you want?
（私は）N が ほしいです。(I) want N

• Usage: ほしい is an い-adjective used to talk about what the speaker wants; it is not used for a third person’s wishes.

• Examples:
あなたは何がほしいですか。
Anata wa nani ga hoshiidesuka.
What do you want?

電話がほしいです。
Denwa ga hoshiidesu.
I want a phone

どんなうちがほしいですか。
Donna uchi ga hoshii desuka.
What kind of house do you want?

広いうちがほしいです。
Hiroi uchi ga hoshii desu.
I want a spacious house.

2. 何をしたいですか What do you want to do?
（私は）N を V (drop ます)＋たいです。I want to do ~
• Usage:
– Expresses what the speaker wants to do; it is not used for a third person’s wishes.
– Vたい behaves like an い-adjective, so the negative and past forms work just like い-adjectives

• Examples:
明日、あなたは何をしたいですか。
Ashita anata wa nani wo shitai desuka.
What do you want to do tomorrow?

えいがをみたいです。
Eiga wo mitaidesu.
I want to watch a film.

何をかいたいですか。
Nani wo kaitaidesuka.
What do you want to buy?

花をかいたいです。
Hana wo kaitaidesu.
I want to buy flowers.

つりをしたくないです。
Tsuri wo shitakunaidesu.
I do not want to go fishing.

3. N1 (place) へなにをしにいきますか。What are you going to N1 to do?
N2を V (drop ます)＋にいきます。To go in order to do ~
• Usage:
– This pattern states the purpose of going to or returning somewhere.
– The verb of purpose is in the ます stem, and the noun of purpose is a verbal noun.

• Examples:
図書館へなにをしにいきますか。
Toshokan e nani wo shi ni ikimasuka.
What are you going to the library for?

へ本をかりにいきます。
Hon wo kari ni ikimasu.
I am going to borrow a book.

レストランへにほんりょうりをたべにいきます。
Resutoran e nihon ryouri wo tabe ni ikimasu.
I am going to a restaurant to eat Japanese food.

4. Somewhere / something
• Usage:
– どこか is used as a noun for a place, meaning “somewhere”.
– なにか is used as a noun for a thing, meaning “something”
– When either word comes before a verb taking the particles へ、が、を, those particles can be left out. Other particles stay.

• Examples:
夏休みはどこか（へ）行きますか。
Natsu yasumi wa dokoka (e) ikimasuka.
Are you going anywhere in the summer holidays?

はい。いきます。
Hai. Ikimasu.
Yes, I am.

暑いですから、何か（を）飲みたいです。
Atsui desu kara, nanika (wo) nomitaidesu.
It is hot, so I want to drink something.